Aging (Not So) Gracefully
by TK The Tenacious
Summary: As the days grow long, Meriadoc the Magnificent and Thain Peregrin reflect on their youthful escapades and adventures... and find the pep to pull one last wild scheme... No slash. Please R&R!


The sun was sinking low on the horizon, silhouetting all the hobbit holes in the long shadows of evening. Down a dusty road two hobbits hobbled along for their evening walk. They were none other the Merry the Magnificent and Thain Peregrin. Two old protectors of the Shire and most notable hobbits. (Even if they did have a shaky background filled with adventures) They were heroes and had been sung about in many songs.   
  
Now the two of them walked, reminiscing over old days. Merry was leaning on a cane of his, His hair was no longer blonde, it was now a friendly gray, even the hair on his feet had gone gray. Pippin, who had no cane, but a walking stick, on the other hand now had snowy white hair, and the curls on top his feet matched the curls on his head. Pippin always wore a mark of Gondor, to whom he had sworn himself into knighthood.  
  
The sun cast long shadows as they spoke.  
  
"This day, it was this day all the years ago."  
  
"Yes, I know, Merry." Pippin responded, looking off into the shadows.  
  
The September breeze ruffled their hair. Both knew what that day was.  
  
Merry spoke again. "It seems like yesterday. Just yesterday that we were surprisin Frodo. Telling him we knew what he was up to and that he couldn't leave us behind."  
  
Pippin nodded "Time flies…" He said.  
  
"That was our first adventure" Merry said distantly "The adventure with the black riders."  
  
Pippin nodded again "Do you ever think about them Merry?"  
  
"Think about who Pip. The black riders??"   
  
Pippin paused and thought. " No… About Frodo and Sam… Gandalf and the others, who are well, you know… are-"  
  
"Are gone." Merry finished for him. "Yes I think about them, I think about them often. But we still have their children, well Sam's, running about and that's a comfort."  
  
Pippin's eyes twinkled "Do you remember when we used to be young Merry?"  
  
Merry grinned and puffed out his chest. "What do ya mean 'Remember'? I still am young!"  
  
Pippin laughed. "You know what I mean. You and I were quite the duo of trouble makers, especially for poor farmer Maggot.  
  
"Aye, I remember" Merry answered. "But then we went off and joined a little thing called 'The Fellowship of the Ring' and that sorta changed our ways."  
  
"Funny how a thing like savin Middle Earth can change a hobbit." Pippin said.  
  
Merry started. "Do ya see what I see there Pip?" Merry said pointing into the twilight, a look of pleased excitement spread across his face.   
  
Pippin squinted "Merry, at your age I'm surprised you can see five feet in front of you"  
  
Merry didn't listen in stead he strained his ears for other sounds. "I hear something, and I thought I saw something."  
Pippin humored him and listened close. A song floated over the hills toward them, it was lovely, and it sounded as thought it came from the foundations of the earth.   
  
_Where have the Ents gone? __  
  
Richest of folk,  
  
The shadows are gone  
  
The Ent wives have awoke  
  
But where are the Ents?  
  
  
Where are the Ents to share,  
  
This land we find so fair,  
  
Alas for the Ents their Wives find them naught  
  
Are they 'sleeping treeish in thought?  
  
  
Hey ho come come!  
  
My merry one's!  
  
Lets dance together,  
  
Far into the heather,  
  
And follow the road wherever it goes,  
  
  
  
This land we depart,  
  
Away to the Ents!  
  
It will remain in our hearts,  
  
Away to our Ents,  
  
Farwell, gardens, flowers and trees,  
  
Now to our Ents,  
  
Goodbye rocks, hobbits and bees,  
  
The Ents! The Ents!  
  
  
Hey ho come come!  
  
My Merry one's!  
  
Let's dance together far into the heather,  
  
And follow the road home where we belong…_

  
  
The Song went on much longer and eventually faded. Merry cracked a grin in Pippins direction.   
  
"Ent wives" He said in a matter of fact way.  
  
"I don't be leave it." Pippin said breathless. "Treebeard was right. The Ent wives did live in this land… and they even knew about hobbits. I wonder why we never saw them…"  
  
"They were probably treeish for quite a lot of time…" Merry answered with a shrug.  
  
"We'll have to tell Treebeard. Remember your promise Merry."  
  
"Yes, I told him if I ever saw any Ent wives I'd tell him. And now, on today of all days, I see 'em."  
  
They sat silent and then Pippin laughed out loud.

"I remember the first time we saw Treebeard!" He said.

"And he had that funny way of counting out his steps if I recall" Merry added.

"With out him we wouldn't be nearly as tall as we are now…" Pippin said half to himself

"That's can be a good or a bad thing Pippin. Now, It would have been a good thing when we we're stealin from old Farmer Maggot."

  
Pippin laughed

  
"Do you remember the time we stole almost all of Farmer Maggots mushrooms in one day?"  
  
Merry blushed. "Yes, and he caught us cause we were to laden down to go very fast."  
  
"He gave us a good boxing of the ears that day." Pippin said, recalling the old memory.  
  
"Yes…" Merry answered distantly "Say Pip…"  
  
Pippin looked at his friend who was smiling in a cheeky way.  
  
"Yes Merry?" Pippin said.  
  
"I'm awful hungry Pippin... how bout you?" Merry answered.  
  
"Merry, I know what you're thinking, and we can't! I'm a knight of Gondor for goodness sakes!"   
  
"And I'm Merry the Magnificent!" Merry said stubbornly.   
  
Pippin looked around in a scheming way and leaned close to his friend.  
  
"What if we get caught?" He whispered,  
  
"We won't get caught! This is Merry Brandybuck you're dealing with! Not some Sackville-Baggins"  
  
Pippin shook his head "Merry, your One hundred and eight years old-"  
  
"And still hale!" Merry cut him off. "Are you coming or not?"  
  
Pippin sighed. "Lead the way Merry Magnificent!"  
  
The two old hobbits hobbled out into the deepening twilight.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Farmer Maggots son, John stepped out back. He had a lantern in his hand.   
  
"What are you doing out there John?" Came a voice from inside.  
  
"Just checking that noise outside, I won't be long"  
  
He went down the steps and around the hole. There was a sound of whispering out back. "Probably just hobbit children, if that young Faramir is back I'll box his ears sound!" Coming around the corner he stopped right where he stood. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. To old Hobbits were in his vegetable garden! One was on his hands and knees uprooting mushrooms and the other had his arms laden with them.  
  
"Master Meriadoc! And Master Peregrin!" He managed to choke out.  
  
Merry's head snapped up and Pippin froze. Merry (Who was on the ground) valiantly tried to struggle to his feet.  
  
"My back!" He cried. Pippin felt like a kid caught in the cookie jar. Merry thought fast "Run for it Pippin!" He groaned to his feet and grabbed his cane.   
  
The two old hobbits charged out at a snails pace on to the road. Merry let out an old whoop and Pippin laughed. The two of them vanished down the road.  
  
John stood there in shock.   
  
"There's and eye opener make no mistake" He murmured to himself. Then his shook his head.  
  
"John, you're tired, that's all. You need some rest and a good drink. Who would actually believe you if you said you caught Master Meriadoc and Thain Peregrin robbin your vegetable garden at night? Naw, you tired and you're seein things."  
  
Poor John Never figured out why he was missing a plot of Mushrooms the next day.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Merry and Pippin sprawled under the stars and nibbled fresh mushrooms.   
  
"Merry? Do you ever feel your age?"   
  
"Pippin, as many wise hobbits say, your only as old as you feel"  
  
"Amen to that, Merry. Amen to that."  
  
~ The End ~


End file.
